Highway signal



E. H. MEDEN HIGHWAY- SIGNAL Nov. 27, 1923 1 1,475,309

Filed Feb. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 $heets$heet 2 INVENTOR. fix'w ATTORNEY Nov. 27 1923 E. H. MEDEN HIGHWAY SIGNAL Filed Feb. 1921 Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

NITED STTES 1,475,309 ATEN OFFICE.

F E. MEDEN, OF SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN GASAC CUMULATOB COMPANY, OF JERSEY.

ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW HIGHWAY SIGNAL.

Application filed February 2, 1921. Serial No. 441,740.

V To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, E1015 H. MEDEN, a subject of the King of Sweden, anda resident of Short Hills. in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Highway Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to highway signals and it has for its object generally to provide a signal which is adapted to be placed in and along roadways and streets and desired points or positions to afford a means for furnishing information with respect to traflic, road conditions, or any other matter at that particular place. 'A signal may be employed to indicate danger ahead, such for instance as a railroad crossing, a dangerous turn, the direction of the turn, or the like.

It may be employed upon the streets of 2 cities to indicate, among other things, the

direction in which traffic shall move at any particular point or place.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a single apparatus or device-comfi prising a housing, a lighting means and a signal display head all combined in a self contained unitary structure. 7

A still further object is to provide a highway signal device having means whereby it may be employed as an advertising means, the said device thereby constituting a com bined signaling and advertising agency.

Other objects and advantages of my in vention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which is depicted one convenient form of mechanical embodiment thereof. It will be understood, however, that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than that shown, and that changes ,in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims. without departing from the said invention.-

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a highway signal device or apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and vertical section of the upper portion of 4 on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the signal head and the upper end portion of the support therefor.

Referring. to the drawings: 1 designates a pedestal of concrete or other suitable material upon which the device or apparatus is mounted and to which it is secured.

The'said apparatus comprises a housing consisting of relatively'stationary side walls 2, the edges of which are secured'to angle plates 3- situated at the four corners of the said housing. The fourth side of the hous ingis closed by means of a door 4 connected at one edge by hinges 5 to an edge portion of one of the angle plates 3. The lower ends of these angle plates are secured to angular anchoring members 6 which in turn are secured to the inwardly extending flange 7 of the base 8 which rests directly uponand is secured to the pedestal 1. The opposite edges of the side wall plates 2 are secured to the flanges ,of the angle plates 3 by means of rivets 9, as shown. Atits opper end the housing is provided with or terminates in a tapering neck portion 10 which is secured to the upper ends of the angle plates 3 by upper end of the neck portion lO which extension is likewise provided. with an inwardly extending flange portion 14 which is situated in opposed relation to the flange 12. The flanges 12 and 14 are provided with openings at'intervals through which bolts 15 extend for the purpose of securing the flared extension 13 to the upper end of the neck portion 10'.

It will be noted the plates 2 and door 4 terminate a short distance above the upper edge of the base 8, leaving a narrow open space between the said lower ends and the said base.

The open upper end of the neck portion that the lower ends of 10 is closed by means of a fine mesh screen 20 situated between the upper end of the neck 10 and the lower end of the extension 13.

The signal light head is secured and mounted upon the extension 13, as is shown. This head comprises a plate 21 of circular formation, as shown, the lowerv ends of which are connected by means of rivets 22 to opposite edge portions of the extension 13. The opposite sides of the circular opening through the circular bent plate 21 are closed by means of plates 23 and 24, the central portions of which project outwardly leaving flanges at the edges thereof as shown. The latter plate, 24, is brovided with a central flanged opening 25 which is adapted to be closed by means of a door comprising a frame structure 26 hingedly secured at 27 to the said plate 24. The said door is adapted to be secured in locked position by means of a bolt 28 and locking device 29. A light concentrating lens 30 is supported centrally of the door frame structure 26 to close the central opening 31 therethrough. For the purpose of protecting the lens 30-to prevent breaking of the same, pro-- tecting rods or bars 33 extend across the opening 30, as shown in Fig. 3.

A transparent or translucent plate 34 is secured to the inner side of the plate '24 and in front of the plate 34 openings are provided through the plate 24 through which light rays from a light within the signal head emerge. These openings may be cut to form letters spelling Danger, Curve, etc.; also an opening in the form of a curved arrow may be provided asso ciated with the word Curve to indicate thedirection of-the curve to an approaching automobilist or other travelen, It will be understood that any other information or data desired may in like manner be imparted. A single annular plate 34 may be provided or if preferred a plurality of transparent or'translucent plates back of the openings forming the letters, curve, etc., may be provided.

The opening within the door inwhich the lens 30 is situated is shaded by a hood 35 so that the light through the lens will be rendered clearly visible in the day time even though the sun 'may be shining. 7 At the. upper side of the circularly bent plate 21 an opening 36 is provided which opening is closed by means of a fine mesh screen 37. The said opening and the screen are protected by means of a shield 38 the opposite sides of which are flanged as indicated at 39 and connected to the circularly bent plate 21. 1

It will be seen that means is provided whereby air may be circulated freely through the housing and the signal head, enterlng at the bottom of the housing underneath the lower edges of the sides 2 ing data, previously referred to, upon the evasoe and the door 4 and flowing upwardly therethrough and escaping through the opening in the plate 21, or the current may flow in the reverse direction.

The presence of the screens prevents th entry of bugs into the light signal head the presence of which therein sooner or later would interfere with the light.

In order that a suitable light may be furnished for the device or apparatus, I have provided a cylinder 40 which contains gas under pressure, which cylinder rests upon a base 41, of wood or other suitable material. The latter in turn rests upon the pedestal 1. The gas under high pressure, one hundred and fifty to two hundred and seventy-five pounds per square inch, flows from the cylinder 40 through a pipe 42 to a pressure regulator 43f0f any known construction, for reducing the pressure of the gas which is supplied to the burners. A pressure gauge 44 having connection with the pipe 42 indicates the pressure of the gas therein. A pipe 45 leading from the pressure regulator supplies a pilot flame while the pipe 46 supplies gas from a flashlight device 47 of'known construction to supply gas for the light signal flame. The pilot and signal light flames are located within' the sitructure at 50, which is not shown in etai When the gas has been exhausted from a cylinder anew cylinder may be substituted therefor or else the same cylinder may be recharged and replaced.

For purposes of economyit is preferred that a flash light apparatus 47 be employed, althoughdt will be understood that the gas I may be supplied directly from the gas pressure regulator 43 to the signal light burner, in which case a steady and continuous light would be supplied or provided instead of a flash light. The flash light, in addition. to

purposes, the advertising data being printed or painted thereon. Advertising data may be substituted for the danger or warnfront of the signal head. a

It will be seen that I have provided a self-contained unitary structure combining in a most practical way both signaling and advertising functions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: y

1. A highway signal comprising a housing including a base portion at its lower end and a neck portion at its upper end, the sides of the said housing terminating a short distance above the upper side of the said base portion to form a passageway leading into the said housing, and the upper end of the said neck portion being open, a signal head secured to the upper end of the said neck portion, said signal head being provided with an opening in its upper side, and. screen within the last mentioned opening and the opening in the upper end of the said neck portion.

2.- A highway'signal comprising a housing including a base portion, angle plates secured at their lower ends to the said base portion, and the sides of the said housing being secured to the flanges of the said angles, and also including a neck portion secured at its lower end to the upper ends of the said angle plates, said neck portion having an opening' through its upper end,

a signal head secured to the upper end of the said neck portion, and light producing means within the said housing and the said signal head.

3. A highway signal comprising a housing including body and neck portions the said neckportion terminating in an up-' wardly and outwardly flared extension and a head comprising a casing the lower por- 1 tion of which is secured to the upper end portion of the said extension and the oppotending flange adjacent its lower edge which fiange'is secured to the flange at the upper end of the said "neck portion and the said extension member flaring upwardly and outwardly, a head comprising a casing which is secured to the said extension, the front and rear faces of said head casing being of opaque material and one of the said faces being provided with an openin through which the signals are displaye a lens secured in said opening and the said face being provided with other openings therein of a character to indicate the subje t of the signal. i

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my invention, 1} have hereunto subscribed my name this 24 day of January, A. D., 1921.

ELOF H. MEDEN. 

